


The match

by Tamras Shield Maiden (regie027)



Series: Succor [3]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Divergence, F/F, Friendship, POV Third Person, Prison, Slow Romance, korvira, pai-sho, post book four
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:15:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27502918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regie027/pseuds/Tamras%20Shield%20Maiden
Summary: Two former enemies enjoy a pleasant day of Jasmine tea, Pai-Sho, and feelings believed to have been dormant are stirred. Sequel to Succor and Electric Blue.
Relationships: Korra/Kuvira (Avatar)
Series: Succor [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1547425
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	The match

**Author's Note:**

> This story, like the previous two, does not take into account the continuity of events from the Ruins of the Empire comic series. Kuvira is in prison in Republic City here instead.

_“So bright_ ,” Kuvira muttered to herself the moment the guard opened the gate that led to the prison yard. As they crossed through the sturdy reinforced wooden gate, the prisoner blinked twice at the sudden transition from dimness to sunlight. She instinctively lifted her hand to shield her eyes, still accustomed to the artificial lighting of the interior of the prison complex from the light of the midmorning sun. The sky was clear. The air was crisp and fresh but not bitingly cold. She heard as if from afar the guard reciting a litany of instructions, but she’d barely registered his monotone droning. After feigning enraptured attention convincingly enough for the guard to return to his post at the surveillance booth, Kuvira walked towards the center of the yard, pleasantly surprised to sense gravel under her boots’ soles. After a few hesitant steps forward, she took a knee, feeling almost overwhelmed by the sensory input after years spent locked up inside her cell. Daylight, true daylight, had been a luxury she had only got glimpses of through a small window, and when she was told she’d finally earned the privilege to have outside recreational time, Kuvira had been so overcome by emotion she choked up and could only muster a weak “thank you” to the warden.

Kuvira took a deep breath and once her senses felt more attuned to the forgotten feel of being outside, she stood up, letting her eyes take in the surroundings. The dots that hindered her eyesight had vanished, and she could now observe the yard with leisure. At first glance, she judged the tall chain-linked fence that went around the yard to be a rather disappointing security measure against a master metalbender like her, but she suspected there was more to its unassuming appearance. Her eyes caught yellowish leaves in mid-flight, blown from a nearby tree. Its heavily laden canopy was covered in golds, oranges, and reddish hues in celebration of autumn. A stray leaf ventured far, gliding gracefully with the wind until it collided with the farthest corner of the fence. Sparks flew at the spot the leaf connected with the fence. An eyebrow arched as she chuckled wryly at the sight, feeling an odd pride of sorts at the realization that her captors hadn’t underestimated her abilities in the slightest even after years of captivity. The fence, deceptive in its ordinary appearance, was built from platinum. The former captain looked up and observed meticulously the narrow beams that supported a tall glass and metal canopy that reminded her of the glasshouses she used to pass by on her patrols back in Zaofu. Beyond the glass ceiling, she noticed a flock of geese crossing the sky on their migratory path and she smiled wistfully.

“How poetic. A birdcage to keep inside a most exotic bird like me,” mused Kuvira as she watched the v shape of the migratory formation fade away against the cotton white clouds.

A sudden gust blew making her shiver and instinctively, she burrowed her hands inside the pockets of her faded prison uniform. Her head rose towards the sky and she stood there for what it seemed like infinity, allowing her cheeks to be caressed by the warmth of the sun. Kuvira thought she heard the gate open with a creak, but she was far too enraptured by the pleasantness of the wind rustling her uniform to even muster the will to turn around. The next sound, however, made her almost leap in place.

“Am I interrupting?” inquired a familiar voice behind her. Kuvira whipped her head back towards the source, her heart suddenly colliding against her ribcage. 

“No, you’re not,” she sounded hoarse, she realized, flustered. “I wasn’t expecting visitors”, she added, her voice steadier now. 

“I was told you were finally allowed to go outside, so I decided to drop by for a visit. I hope you don’t mind the company.”

“Not at all Avatar Korra,” the metalbender replied with a small welcoming smile. She took a moment to assess the woman standing in front of her. Time had been kind to her, barely registering its passage in her face save for the subtle lines that deepened at opposite sides of her mouth when she smiled like she was doing now. She was dressed in a different variation of her tribal outfit, more appropriate to the colder weather than her trademark sleeveless vest. Kuvira could sense powerful muscles tensing under the long sleeves of the blue and white kuspuk. Korra had grown attached to the short hairstyle that launched a popular fad among the young women in Republic City. A lopsided grin adorned her dark features and her eyes shimmered with a mixture of confidence and openness. 

Kuvira regretted the sorry contrast she must’ve been offering in return. Clad in faded plain shirt and pants, her gaunter figure and pale complexion was a far cry from the fit and agile physique she once possessed. Incipient silver streaks intertwined prematurely with her long dark hair, tied up in a braid that almost reached the small of her back like she wore back in Zaofu. It didn’t matter how many repetitions of push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups she performed inside her cell. They could never be a substitute for an honest to Kyoshi complete exercise routine, even if it provided a most welcome distraction to the monotony of incarceration. It was something she hoped this new privilege would fix and was eagerly looking forward to. Korra cleared her throat and the metalbender suddenly realized her glance had lingered over the Avatar for the longest time. Mortified, she hurried to end the pregnant pause.

“I mean, I’m not particularly in high demand in the visits department.”

Kuvira noticed how Korra’s grin faded, her eyes narrowing in a sad turn, and a sense of discomfort assaulted the former commander. The subject of the scarcity of visits was one she’d rather not dwell at this particular moment. There was plenty of time left later to wallow in self-pity, but right now, the only thing she wanted to do was to relish this unexpected turn of events.

“Anyway, I’m really glad you’re here. It’s pretty, in a lethal sort of way, isn’t it?”

The Avatar stared at the metalbender, confused.

“This,” Kuvira replied as she pointed at the structure surrounding the yard. “Make sure you don’t lean against the fence or you might encounter a shocking surprise.”

Korra scrunched her face in a way that made Kuvira reminiscence the young, vital woman she had met back in Zaofu. Korra was still staring at her former foe with a puzzled look until suddenly, a long “oooooh” burst from her lips, followed by a sudden bout of laughter that the metalbender found intriguingly pleasant and comforting.

“So it’s electrified. I didn’t know but I guess it makes sense,” Korra observed before halting with an embarrassed expression. “Please don’t take offense to what I just said,” she blurted apologetically. 

Kuvira couldn’t help but smile at her reaction. “None taken. I’m just glad I can be out of that building for more than a couple of minutes. Lately, I've been spending more time out of my cell. I’ve been eating my meals in the dining facility, and I’ve even been able to join the other inmates for mover night even if the only thing in the prison’s repertoire is Bolin’s old Nuktuk adventures.”

“Sheesh, they urgently need to update their collection!” Korra exclaimed, amused. 

“You should tell Bo he has quite the captive audience here,” the metalbender retorted with a grin.

Korra burst out laughing again. Kuvira realized she really liked that sound and felt quite satisfied with herself by the fact she had made Korra laugh twice already. 

“I didn’t know you had quite a sense of humor,” Korra admitted. 

“There are many things you don’t know about me,” Kuvira replied, surprised at how boldly that statement came out.

“That can be fixed,” Korra affirmed. A lopsided grin adorned her face as she eyed Kuvira with a challenging look.

Kuvira felt a blush creep over her cheeks when her attention was diverted towards the rectangular object that Korra was holding against her right side.

“Is that….?” she inquired while gesturing at the mystery box.

“Yep, it’s a Pai-Sho board. If I remember correctly, last time I dropped by for a visit we played a couple of games before I had to leave in the middle of a game.”

“It was because you almost ended up spending the night locked up here,” Kuvira chuckled, remembering how flustered the guard had been under Korra’s indignant stare until she realized how late it was. It had been a great day. They had spent most of their afternoon just sipping tea, chatting, and playing three very intense Pai-Sho matches in Kuvira’s cell which she won. They’d been in the middle of the fourth one when time and reality had finally caught up with them.

“It was a great game, and I was finally winning!” Korra protested with a pout. “Besides, I owe you an apology. I promised you I was going to return that same week to finish the game, but...” Korra looked genuinely contrite.

“That’s okay. You have a job, a very important one that only you can do.” Kuvira made her best effort to mask her disappointment at Korra’s absence. 

“I didn’t mean for me to have taken this long to come back.”

“Korra, you’re not under any obligation to visit me. I haven’t been holding my breath waiting for your return.” That was a lie but she didn’t need to know that.

Kuvira thought she saw a sliver of disappointment flash on Korra’s blue eyes. Did she really want Kuvira to miss her? 

Korra let out a sigh. “That doesn’t change the fact that it took me too long to come back. To be honest, I could have done so before but I felt embarrassed and before I realized, weeks turned into months. I’m sorry.”

“What made you change your mind?”

Korra offered Kuvira a noncommittal glance and walked towards a concrete table. She sat down and placed the box over the table. Kuvira opted to not press the issue further and instead sat at the bench opposite Korra, helping the Avatar arrange the flat circular-shaped board and the tiles.

“If it gets too cold here, we can move inside,” Korra commented as she appraised Kuvira’s prison uniform and hoped it was warmer than it appeared. She also noticed that despite the internment, the metalbender still managed to maintain her physical condition judging by the way the shirt hugged her shoulders.

“And miss the sunlight? I believe I can handle the cold. Your move,” the former commander smirked, placing the tile one space forward with a clacking sound.

“Bold move. I was expecting something like that from you but this time I’ve come prepared,” Korra asserted as she countered Kuvira’s play.

“Nicely played,” the metalbender remarked admiringly. “You’ve been practicing.”

“You could say that.” Korra grinned confidently.

Kuvira cracked her knuckles. “I enjoy the challenge. I’ve outplayed the prison guards so many times none of them want to play with me anymore, not even for money. Luckily, my new game partner who used to be boss of a prosperous Republic City _daofei_ is very sneaky, but I’ve been able to figure out his game.”

“Outsmarting _daofei_ leaders? You sure keep amassing quite a reputation, not that you need it,” joked Korra as she awaited for Kuvira’s next play.

“I know right? Old dude is full of stories. He used to own gambling dens all around the city and had a good run until his new accountant, a nephew or son-in-law...can't remember now... anyway, he failed to pay hush money to the bureaucrats that put on a blind eye to his schemes and before he knew it, Beifong’s cops were all over raiding his clubs.” The metalbender advanced another tile and Korra’s fingers rhythmically tapped the table as she planned her next move. 

“I think I remember that. It was Beifong’s last big operation before she retired,” Korra said as she made air quotation marks emphasizing the last word. “She might have retired from the force, but that hasn’t stopped her from snooping around whenever there’s a big case. Kya is seriously considering tying her up to a chair, so she doesn’t leave the house,” she added as she moved her piece close to Kuvira’s.

Kuvira roared at the prospect of the eldest Beifong sibling cursing a storm at Aang’s daughter while being indignantly tied up. “It feels almost surreal, the Republic City police department not being led by Lin. Even in Zaofu we received news of the heroics performed by Suyin’s sister and to imagine her in that situation is just too funny,” she wheezed as she dried a stray tear that escaped the corner of her eye. Korra laughed too, delighting in the raspy timbre of the metalbender’s laughter.

“Speaking of which, how is she? I haven’t been to Zaofu in quite a while. I usually got my news from Opal but between her master airbender duties and marriage, we haven’t spoken in almost a year.”

Kuvira stood pensive for an instant before making her next move.

“Besides Baatar Jr. moving to the Fire Nation after being released from house arrest and Bolin and Opal’s marriage, I haven’t received a lot of news from Zaofu. I mean, I still get letters from Su every once in a while and she plans to drop by with the boys next month but I think you probably are more up to date than I.”

“I see,” Korra commented as she studied the configuration of their game pieces. “I think we have a worthy battle of the wits here. Fancy some tea while we play?”

“Sure. Just don’t expect Sato mansion level of quality here,” the metalbender remarked with a smirk.

Korra’s lips quivered almost imperceptibly for an instant before settling into a weak smile. “I know. That’s why I brought my own. Let me get some water and I’ll take care of the rest.

Kuvira blew air into her palms and rubbed her hands together as she observed how Korra got into an argument, trying to convince the guard to get her water until another guard finally appeared with a thermos filled with water and a tray with a porcelain teapot and a pair of teacups. Minutes later, she returned with a triumphant smile with a teapot filled to the brim with aromatic jasmine tea. 

“Okay, let’s continue,” she said as she extended the metalbender a cup.

“I think you can proclaim yourself the winner already. I’ll be too distracted with the tea to concentrate on the game,” Kuvira replied as she lifted the cup towards her face. The fragrant scent filled her nostrils, steam warming her cheeks.

“Take your time. If I’m going to defeat you, it better be with you on your A-game.”

“You must be the only person who would say something like that,” Kuvira chuckled as she sipped from her cup.

“What can I say? I’m always up for a challenge.” the Avatar replied as a small flame burst from her palm and directed it towards the bottom of the teapot. Once done, she filled her cup and settled over her bench.

“Whenever you’re ready,” announced Korra.

Kuvira placed her cup down. “Thanks for the tea, I feel more alert now. I hope you don’t regret it when I beat you.”

“Now that’s the spirit but sorry that I have to break it to you: this time you won’t be beating me so easily,” Korra warned smugly.

Kuvira replied with a grin of her own. “Let’s see if your game supports your boast. My turn.”

Hours went by and at the end of the third match, the score was tied up to one victory each. The teapot was empty. Crumbs were all that remained from their lunch, also brought by Korra in a picnic basket. The guards were murmuring anxiously amongst themselves, having placed bets on who would end up winning the third and decisive match. 

Kuvira was sunk in deep thought. Long fingers steepled, her attentive glance swept the board, as she calculated every possible outcome. Korra was sitting straight, with arms crossed over her chest, watching attentively Kuvira’s narrowing eyes. The metalbender finally moved and her hand hovered at a particular tile. Korra tsked audibly.

“Are you sure you want to do that?” Korra inquired coyly.

Kuvira didn’t reply but withdrew her hand as her eyebrows burrowed into a frown, her lips tightened into a line. Korra was equally enthralled and amused with every subtle switch and pull from the metalbender’s face.

Murmurs behind them pulled Kuvira from her trance-like state.

“I think we’ll end up with an incomplete game again,” she murmured, her gaze looking over Korra’s shoulder

“Why is that? Are you surrendering? You still have some moves left.”

“The guards are arguing back there, deciding who gets to be the one to tell you something.”

“Uh?”

Before Kuvira could elaborate further, a guard approached Korra at that very moment. Her face showed apprehension as she bowed deeply.

“Avatar Korra, you have a phone call at the Warden’s office. Master Tenzin is calling. He said it was important.”

Korra let out a long sigh. “Tell the warden I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Yes, Avatar Korra.” The guard gulped and turned around as fast as her feet allowed her to.

Korra stood up. “I’m sorry. I guess we’ll have to stop for today, but I promise that next time for sure we’ll finish this.”

“That’s okay. I get to enjoy my undefeated status for a while longer.”

“That’s a good idea because it won’t last for too long,” warned Korra with a smirk. 

Kuvira chuckled as she quickly transcribed the game in a notepad so they could pick up where they left it before returning the tiles to the wooden box. As they fished the pieces from the board, Korra’s hand covered hers when they both reached for the white lotus tile at the center of the board. Kuvira was unable to block the gasp that escaped her lips. She lifted her head and found Korra staring attentively at her, an enigmatic smile tugging at her lips. Their gazes met, lingering for a few extra heartbeats before a flustered Kuvira cleared her throat and withdrew her hand. Korra extended her open palm and Kuvira dropped the tile over it.

“Anyway,” Kuvira broke the silence. “Thank you for the visit. I had a lot of fun.” She extended her hand towards Korra but the Avatar didn’t respond, which made Kuvira feel uncomfortably self-conscious of her hand hanging in the air. Suddenly, powerful arms went around her torso and before she could realize it, Korra was embracing her.

“It's been my pleasure. It was really good to see you again,” Korra responded as she held Kuvira tightly to herself.

Kuvira faltered for a moment as her arms hung limply at her sides until she gathered the courage to mimic Korra’s gesture, circling her arms around her waist. She could sense her face heating up even when her breath was conjuring small misty clouds.

“It...it was good to see you too,” muttered Kuvira.

“After all these years I still haven’t been able to forget you, what we shared in Zaofu,” Korra whispered softly against Kuvira’s ear. Her voice was drowned with such yearning it made the metalbender’s mind spin.

The blush deepened in Kuvira’s face as she struggled to process what she had just heard. She almost shook her head, not knowing whether she had imagined it or Korra had really said what she thought she heard.

Korra pulled back just enough to glance at the metalbender’s flustered face. “I’ve always wondered what could have been between us if things had been different.” Her blue eyes shimmered with emotion.

“Me too,” Kuvira confessed. Her heart menaced to leap out of her chest.

Korra flashed a bright smile. The smugness from before had vanished. Her cheeks had acquired a subtle blush. “I’m glad to hear that. I’ll be returning next week to finish our game and to set some records straight if you don’t mind. There are some things about me you should know.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Kuvira replied with a playful shrug and Korra couldn't help but chuckle. 

The metalbender smiled as her emotions swung between elation and puzzlement by Korra’s cryptic words, but she sensed that her affectionate goodbye was already garnering the guards’ attention. 

“I think you’d better get going before the warden comes to fetch you personally.”

“You’re right. Take care, I’ll see you next week and you better get ready for the match of your life.”

The metalbender chuckled. “I will.”

Korra embraced her again, surreptitiously brushing her lips against Kuvira’s cheek. The metalbender felt shivers run up and down her spine and she was sure could Korra feel her tremble. Kuvira felt extremely self-conscious of the fact that the long periods deprived of close human contact made her very sensitive to physical manifestations of affection. The fact that it was Korra who was triggering these reactions made it even more difficult for her.

“You should really get going or this time they will keep you locked down here,” Kuvira stated as she took a step back.

Korra nodded and with a deep inhale, she clasped her hand one last time and turned around, following a very anxious guard towards the warden’s office. Kuvira followed Korra's every move until her silhouette was lost in the long, dim corridor that led towards the inside of the correctional facility. A tap on Kuvira's shoulder signaled that her outside recreational time had ended. She had the nagging suspicion it had lasted way more than it was supposed to due to the Avatar’s presence and the curious way the guards that escorted her back inside looked at her all but assured that this visit would be subject of the juiciest gossip for the next days or so.

That night, Kuvira laid over her small bed with an arm supporting her head. Her opposite arm was raised up as she held a small object. Kuvira twirled a lone Pai-Sho tile with her fingers and smiled inwardly, watching how it caught some of the slivers of pale moonlight that snuck inside her cell. Her lids felt heavy with sleep so she brought her arm down and rested the tile securely over her chest under her palm.

"Until our next match Korra, I'll be waiting."

_-The End-_

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly thought I was done with these one-shot stories but I guess I still had one more under my sleeve. The idea of older Korra and Kuvira meeting years after Kuvira's surrender intrigued me, and that's how this story came to be.
> 
> I added the notes after publishing because my internet flaked on me and I was about to hit th keyboard with my forehead XD
> 
> Hope you enjoy thi and thank you so much for your comments. Feedback is always greatly appreciated! 🤩


End file.
